ACG Harlot 6

Skelf · #1 10-14-2008, 11:48 AM

Just got this one finished,I have been working on it for ages the original build pics were in my large build thread but I seem to have lost them,so a rather short build thread.

Harlot 6 string.
Spec
Goncalo Alves top and back with a butternut core.
7 piece neck Mac Ebony/Maple/Black Limba/Maple with a flat Rosewood finger board alloy side dots 34" scale.
ACG EQ01 pre-amp with a SB in the bridge and aRFB in the neck.
Hipshot hardware in Satin chrome, Schaller straplocks.

Wreck · #2 10-16-2008, 08:12 AM

did you make a radius on this bass neck?

Skelf · #3 10-16-2008, 10:12 AM

No radius on this one. I quiet like a flat board and as this is a stock bass I can build what I like. I am trying to convert everyone to flat boards one bass at a time.

I have another stock Harlot R Type 5 string just about finished and it will have a flat board as well.

Wreck · #4 10-16-2008, 11:37 AM

yeah,...

,,now you're talking..

PasdaBeer · #5 10-16-2008, 12:39 PM

I love the shape, and the back carve expecialy.

And a big thumbs up for flat fretboards!!!

Roland777 · #6 10-16-2008, 01:59 PM

Ergonomics look awesome - upper part of body in particular. On paper, not the biggest fan of the pickup-layout, but I'd love to be proven wrong. A test-spin would have been nice!

Very nice work!

Skelf · #7 10-16-2008, 03:01 PM

Hi 777
It is an experiment with the pickup layout and choice. On the whole I am happy with as it gives me the two pickups I use that are furthest apart sound wise and this gives the pre-amp a lot to work with. The single coil is much as you would expect nice and aggressive and uses a ceramic magnet. The MM style pickup is a bit mellower than normal as it is nearer the neck than usual and it uses an alnico magnet so has a rounder fuller sound. All in all I think it is a really good combination. I have some one coming into the shop to try it out so maybe they will post their thoughts on it.

DanielM · #8 10-17-2008, 06:46 AM

looks great Alan! never seen (or at least thought about how clever it is) a transition block (or whatever you want to call it) on a bolt-on. it must really make things easier in terms of cutting and glueing the neck blank as less wood is wasted. I must try it on my next build. the only real shame about this bass is that it has two too many strings!

Skelf · #9 10-17-2008, 02:46 PM

Hi Daniel
I just call it the heel and do that on pretty much all my bolt on necks can't say it is my idea as I am sure it has been done loads of times before me but feel free to try it out. I am sure a man of your talent could cope with the extra strings.
Alan

eude · #10 10-27-2008, 05:50 AM

Hey guys,
I had the pleasure of having a go of this very bass at the weekend...

The bass itself is absolutely amazing, the build quality and Alan's design is simply stunning in real life, the pictures do not do it justice.
The body contours hug your frame very comfortably, the bass balances very well and the combination of the asymmetrical neck profile and a flat fingerboard was really nice, a real surprise for me as I'd always thought that a radiused board would be more comfortable, but I think I've been converted.

The really interesting thing about this bass is the pickup combination. It may look a little extreme but the range of usable tones you can get from this bass is phenomenal.
The RFB, or musicman style, pickup at the neck produces a nice thick and slightly mellow tone which can be used to achieve really massive sounding dub or p-bass like tones.
The Single Coil pickup at the bridge really surprised me, as my experience of single coils in that location are that they are usually a bit thin sounding, not the case with this bass though!
The pickup has all the punch and bite that you'd expect but with a massive amount of weight and grunt to it too, to be honest, if I'd been playing this bass without knowing where the pickups where I'd have sworn that the single coil pickup was a lot nearer the neck position.
Another thing to note is that the single coil pickup was virtually noiseless in operation apart from when you boost the extreme ranges of the treble filter.
Add to these pickups Alan's EQ01 filter based preamp and I'm pretty confident you could get any sound you could ever want out of this bass.

If I was a weaker man with a bigger wallet I'd have had this bass away with me then and there.
That said, I will hopefully be in the market for a custom bass early next year and there's only one place I'll be going for it.

I'd just like to thank Alan for taking the time to accommodate my visit on Saturday and for letting me get my mitts on all those lovely basses.

If anyone has any other questions about the bass I'd be happy to help.

Cheers,
Eude